Salt and Pepper Whitebait

Salt and Pepper Whitebait

Salt and Pepper Whitebait

Don’t be afraid to give this classic dish a go at home. With crisp batter and the complementary flavours of salt and pepper this dish makes the perfect appetiser or snack on a sunny day.

Serves 4

2 tbsp plain flour

2 tbsp cornflour

2 tsp sea salt flakes

1 tsp ground white pepper

½ tsp ground black pepper

¼ tsp cayenne pepper

¼ tsp smoky paprika

250g fresh whitebait

oil for deep frying

aioli, to serve

lemon wedges, to serve

1 Line a tray with baking paper. Combine flour, cornflour, salt, white pepper, black pepper, cayenne pepper and paprika in a large clip lock bag. Add 1/2 of whitebait, seal bag and shake until whitebait is coated with mixture. Transfer to prepared tray. Coat remaining whitebait with spice mix and transfer to tray.

2 Half fill a small saucepan with oil and place over a medium heat. Line a tray with paper towel. When oil is hot, add ¼ of whitebait and cook for 1-2 minutes or until golden and crisp. Transfer to tray. Cook remaining portions of whitebait. Serve immediately with aioli and lemon wedges.